Refrigerating apparatus



Patented Sept. 16, 1941 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Ohio, assignor to General Dayton, Ohio, a corpora- John w. Craig, Dayton,

Motors Corporation,

tion of Delaware Application April 7, 1938, Serial No. 200,704

1 Claim.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to twin generator-absorber refrigerating systems.

One of the simplest intermittent-absorption refrigerating systems is one in which twin absorbersare connected by a single refrigerant conduit which includes condensing means connected to each of the generator-absorbers and an evaporating means between the two condensers. In such a system, during one period of operation one of the generator-absorbers is heated while the otheris cooled. When all the refrigerant has been driven out of the generator being heated, the operation is reversed by the cessation of the heating of the one generator-absorber and the supplying of heat to the other generator-absorber. Under such conditions it is evident that some form of restriction must be provided between the condenser connected to being heated and the evaporator during each of the above described conditions.

It is an object of my invention to provide a twingenerator-absorber dual condenser system the generator-absorber compartment having a single evaporating means with an improved valve and restrictor means for controlling the flow of refrigerant into and out of the evaporating means.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved valve means providing a restriction to the flow of fluid in one direction and substantially no restriction to the flow of fluid in the opposite direction.

It is still another object of my invention to provide an improved valve means capable of controlling the flow in both directions, which is extremely simple, easy to manufacture and relatively foolproof.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of a twin generator-absorber refrigeration system embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the identical valves found on each side of the evaporator.'

Briefly, I have shown a twin generator-absorber refrigerating system in which a single refrigerant conduit connects the two generator-absorbers. The portion of the conduit nearest each of the generator-absorbers serves as a condenser for that generator-absorber while the portion of the conduit between the two condensers serves as the evaporator. Located between the evaporator and each of the generator-absorbers is a pair of valves made identical but located oppositely with respect to the flow of fluid through the conduit. Each of these valves contain a spring-loaded check type valve, one of which has a restrictor connected in series with it in order to provide a pressure differential between the operative condenser and the evaporator.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there are shown twin generator-absorbers designated by the reference characters 20 and 22. A single refrigerant conduit connects the two generator-absorbers and includes condenser portions 24 and 26 which are connected to their respective generator-absorbers 20 'and 22. Connected between the two condensers 24 and 26 is a conduit portion 28 which is located within the ,30 to be cooled. This portion 28 of the conduit is wrapped around a rectangular sleeve 32 in order to form a suitable cooling unit.

Gas burners 34 and 36 are provided for alternately heating the twin generator-absorbers 20 and 22. These burners are lighted by pilot lights 68 and 46 which are supplied with gas directly from a supply conduit 42. duit 42 also leads to a throttling valve 44 which is controlled by a thermostat fluid system including a bulb 46 fastened in heat exchange relation with the cooling unit located in the compartment 30. The valve 44 is connected to a second valve means which includes a box-shaped casing 46 casing 46 is provided with outlets This box-shaped 60 and 52 which connect to the gas burners 34 and 36. The flow of gas through these outlets is controlled by a double ended valve 64 which is thrown either to the left or to the right to close the outlets 60 or 62 as desired.

Connected to this double-ended valve is a simple toggle snap acting mechanism 66 which is operated by pins which extend from the bellows 66 and 60 mounted upon opposite sides of the casing. The bellows 68 is connected by a fluid conduit 62 with a thermostat bulb 64 mountedin intimate heat exchange relation with the generator-absorber 22 while the bellows 60 is connected by a fluid conduit 66 with the thermostat bulb 68 located in intimate generator-absorber 20. The valve 64 insures that gas is supplied to the burner of only one of the generator-absorbers at a time thus one of the generator-absorbers is heated to drive off refrigerant while the other is cooled in order to absorb into which the gas discharges.

The supply conj the other and the evaporator while 3 a free flow of refrigerant the operative absorber.

I is completed the flow of fluid is reversed and it is then necessary for within the casing is in one of the absorbers.

When one of the absorbers is being heated and cooled it is necessary means for maintaining a sufllciently high refrigerant condensing pressure within the condenser connected to the operative generator to provide condensation by air cooling. 1 means of the identical valves I8 and I2 which are placed in the refrigerant conduit between the 1 evaporator and each of necessary that one of these valves impose sufli- This is done by the condensers; It is the operative condenser the other valve permits from the evaporator to cient restriction between the function of the two valves to be reversed and to provide a restriction 1 between the newly operativecondenser and the about condensation evaporator suflicient to brin in the newly operative condenser.

In order to do this I have provideda casing including a large cup member 18 and a closure member 'l6which is threaded into the cup .memher in order to complete the wall of the casing. The cup member I4 is provided with a nipple '58 which connects to the conduit portion 28 while the closure member I8 is provided with a nipple 88 which connects to the condenser conduit portion 28, The nipples each contain passages connecting with the conduits. Nipple i8 is provided with a passage 82 while the nipple 88 is with a passage 84. The mouth of the passage 82 provided with a valve seat 86 against which rests a valve member 88 provided with a shoulder receiving a compression type coil spring 90 extending from this shoulder to a shoulder upon the rim of the closure .mem-' ber 18 for holding the valve member 88 against the valve seat 86. The'valve member 88 is provided with an annular recess containing a rin 92 of a suitable rubber-like material such as one having as its principle ingredient polymerized chloro-2-butadien-l,3 sometimes called chloroprene. This valve 88 permits free flow of evaporated refrigerant from the evaporating conduit portion to the condenser portion 28.

Within this valve is a passage 84 containing a threaded insert 98 provided with a restricted passage 88. This threaded insert 96 has a boss provided to provide a opens directly into However, when the cycle which holds I84 is held in seating engagement with a valve I seat I88- formed upon a plug I08 threaded into the large end of the passage which extends from one end of the valve member 88 to the other and opens directly into the passage 82. The plug I88 also contains a restricted passage which the passage 84;

When pressure is created upon the side 'of the valve which is connected to thecondenser 26 hold the valve 88in tightly closed position. This pressure, however, does have access to the valve I84 which opens in the opposite direction and when sufficient pressure is attained the valve I88 will be forced open to allow refrigerant to flow through the restricted passage 88 and the passage,82 into the evaporating portion 28. The seat I88 is made of sumciently small area to make it necessary for the pressure to rise sufficiently to allow condensation by the cooling action of the air. is identical to the valve 12 and is similarly connected to its end of the evaporating portion 28 this pressure will and to its condensin portion 24.

I find that these valves are simple, easy to manufacture andvery reliable. They aid in making a very simple refrigerating system of the twin generator-absorber type.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is tobe understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

Refrigerating apparatus including a plurality of generator-absorbers, a condenser connected to each of the generator-absorbers, an evaporator connected to two of said condensers, and a flow control device located in each of the connections between said evaporator and said two condensers, each of said flow control devices including two passages for conducting refrigerant to and from the evaporator respectively, one of said passages including a constantly open re stricted portion and a second portion in series therewith, a valve for controlling the flow through said second portion and a valve for controlling the flowthrough the other of said passages.

JQHN W. CRAIG.

The valve 18 

